Garment pressing machine



p 0, 1935. w. STROBRIDGE 2,014,300

GARMENT PRESS ING MACHINE Filed Dec. 2, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet l 57 29 590 1'' O 26 v 12 I g W al 61\ Zmnentor; 4 Z WiLZL'am Sirobrz'dge 3g m 0 t i attorneys Sept. 10, 1935. w. STROBRIDGE GARMENT PRESSING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 2, 1952 Zhwentor Gttornegs Sept. 10, 1935,

w. STROBRIDGE 2,014,300

GARMENT PRESS ING MACHINE Filed Dec. 2, 1932 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 3 moentor 772172121212 slrozrz'czye.

attorneys,

Sept. 10, 1935. w. STROBRIDGE 2,014,300

GARMENT PRESSING MACHINE 1 Filed Dec. 2, 1932 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 LI I I/ 94/ i I 07 SH I j r l [mm/IA Z'mventor.

attorneys.

Patented Sept. 10, 1935 UNITED STATES GARMENT PRESSING MACHINE William Strobridge, Syracuse, N. Y., assignor, by

mesne assignments, to Reconstruction Finance Corporation, a corporation of the United States Application December 2, 1932, Serial No. 645,482

9 Claims.

This invention pertains to garment presses and relates, more particularly, to an improved means for locking and holding the movable press member in its pressing position.

5 The invention is applicable to garment presses of any type wherein a foot lever is employed to actuate the head or iron in relation to its companion member.

The main object of the invention is to provide a lock which, while simple of construction and easy of operation, is such that a very fine adjustment of the movable pressing member toward its companion member may be had and retained without the possibility of retrograde movement.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for initiating vacuum through the goods upon the buck at any position of the movable pressing element, said means being associated with the release means for the lock.

50 Other advantageous features are also present as will hereinafter appear.

Two embodiments of my invention are shown in the annexed drawings, one to a seam opener press and the other to a press of the jaw type.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a sectional elevation of a seam opener press, the parts being shown with the iron or pressing head lowered and the lock in its effective position;

Fig. 2, an enlarged sectional elevation of the lower portion of the press illustrating the closing lever, the locking mechanism and certain other portions of the press structure; M Fig. 3, a perspective view with parts broken away showing the treadle mounted upon the press closing lever with the associated rocking carrier for one of the locking rollers;

Fig. 3, a top plan view illustrating a portion of the main treadle, the lock release treadle, and the vacuum valve operating arm which is associated with and controlled by said release treadle;

Fig. 4, a vertical sectional view with parts in elevation showing a slightly modified form of the 45 penduious bar which forms an element of the locking mechanism; V

Fig. 5, a vertical sectional view taken on the line VV of Fig. 1 illustrating means for supporting the flexible pipes or conduits which lead tothe iron or pressing head;

Fig. 6, a vertical sectional view taken on the line VI-VI of Fig. 1, illustrating the manner in which the socket is secured to the outer end of the sliding bar which supports the iron;

Fig. '7, a sectional elevation of a jaw type press showing the applicability of the lever lock to a press of this type;

Fig. 8, a vertical sectional view showing the operating lever, the locking mechanism and the connection between the lever and a press actuat- 5 ing element Fig. 9, a perspective View of the parts just mentioned; and

Fig. 10, a horizontal section taken on the line X-X of Fig. 8 looking in the direction of the arrow.

Referring first to the-structure disclosed in Figs. 1 to 6, both inclusive, I denotes the main frame work of the machine, 2 the fixed table or buck made hollow for heating purposes and havl5 ing a suction or vacuum pipe 3 connected up with any suitable exhauster.

A spring seated valve 4 controls the flow through pipe 3, the valve having its stem 5 connected to one end of a bell crank 6, the opposite end carrying a roller 1. Said roller stands in front of and, when the valve is closed, in spaced relation to, a rearwardly inclined bearing face 8 formed upon the upwardly extending end of an L-shaped lever 9. At its lower forward end the lever is secured to the pivot pin or shaft of the lock release treadle or lever hereinafter to be described. Said lever, denoted by ID, is fulcrumed at H, and carries at its forward end a main treadle l2.

Referring to Fig. 1, it will be seen that the iron or ironing head, denoted by I3, is secured by suitable clamps to the outer rounded head [4 of a postor stem-like member I5 which finds its bearing in a sleeve or bushing Hi. In order to effect a rigid connection between said bushing and the iron supporting arm ll to which the bushing is attached the end of the arm I! is notched out and the bushing is likewise grooved upon the upper and lower surfaces as shown in Fig. 6 so that the bushing may be slipped into the opening with the adjacent portions of the bar entering the grooves. The parts may then be welded and in effect an integral structure is produced.

Bar l1 extends through the head denoted by IB, being supported in any suitable manner therein for free movement therethrough. The head I8 is secured to the upper end of a vertically disposed member l9 mounted for sliding 0 movement through a suitable supporting and sustaining member 20. To the lower end of this member there is secured a pair of links 2|, 22

which at their lower ends are secured to the main operating lever ID. This arrangement of parts is substantially old with the exception of the manner of securing the socket 6 to the iron supporting arm.

In order to compensate for the dead weight of the iron, the iron supporting bar, its supporting head, the vertical member l9, the treadle lever, and the connecting links, there is preferably provided a lever 23 fulcrumed at 24 to the main frame, carrying at its rear end a weight 25 and connected at its forward end to the lever ID or more correctly the rear portion of the treadle housing through a link 26.

Weight 25 is purposely made so light that it will not fully counterbalance the iron and its allied elements and to effect a quick or snappy opening movement of the parts a tension spring 21 is interposed between the lever mechanism, say from the connection of the link 26 to the lever 23, and a fixed point 28 on the frame of the machine.

In order to limit the upward movement of the free end of the lever l0, and consequently the upward movement of the other parts which are actuated thereby, the lever is provided with a bumper 29, which when the lever moves upwardly contacts an adjustable stop element 30 carried by the lower end of a threaded stem 3| mounted for rotation in a fixed cross element 32 of the main frame.

Usually the iron I 3 is heated by suitable medium, such as steam, and inasmuch as the iron is moved back and forth along the fixed member 2 a suitable support is needed for the conduits leading thereto. To this end a pair of rigid pipes 33, 34 extend from the usual supporting bracket 35 secured to the frame of the machine. The pipes at their upper ends are provided with short horizontal extensions, as 36 and 37, to which the flexible conduits 38 and 39 are secured, said conduits extending downwardly and being connected to the iron. In order to afford a support for such conduits between their connection with the pipes or extensions 36, 31 there is provided an outwardly extending arm 40, the inner end of which finds its bearing in the tubular member 4| held in place with reference to the pipes by suitable clamps 42 and 43. At its outer end the rod 49 is provided with a. hook 44 which forms the support for a double hook-like member designated generally by 45. This arrangement allows the iron to be freely moved without placing any undue strain upon the conduits and without impeding the free movement of the iron.

The lever locking mechanism will now be described. Pivotally secured at its upper end to the frame memmr 32, as at 50 (Figs. 1 and 2), is a pendulous bar 5|, said bar extending downwardly through an opening formed in the casting forming the treadle I2. Mounted in the rear portion of the side walls 52 and 53 of the opening is a grooved roller 54 which bears against the rear edge of bar 5| as well as the sides thereof. This arrangement tends to steady lever l against sidewise movement or twisting action and hence relieves fulcrum H from strain.

Secured in the outer portion of the opening in the treadle between the upstanding walls 52, 53 is an abutment block or casting 55, the block being rigidly afiixed in place by through pins 56, 51 or the like. The inner face of the block has secured to it a bearing plate 58 formed of hard wear resisting metal such as tool steel, the plate inclining inwardly from the vertical at its lower end toward fulcrum Such wearing face might of course be formed upon the block 55 itself but the construction just described is preferable for obvious reasons.

A release treadle 59 isfixed on a pin or shaft 60, the inner end of the treadle casting being bifurcated, producing two arms 6| and 62. outer end of each arm is formed with an open end slot,'as 63 and 64, respectively, in which is seated the pintles 65 extending outwardly to each end of a roller 66 formed of hardened steel. Said roller lies between the forward face of bar and the inclined bearing plate 58, the roller at all times, other than when release pedal 59 is depressed, being urged downwardly between the converging plate and bar through the action of an expansion spring 61 interposed between a depressed portion of the main treadle 2 and the under face of said release pedal.

Theoretically, the bar 5| should be made to a radius about the center of rotation of the lever ID, as shown in Fig. 4 wherein the pendulous bar designated by 5| a is so formed. This method of construction, however, besides being somewhat expensive is undesirable practically in that rapid opening of the press head, after release from pressure, is restricted by the necessity for continned depression of the release treadle 58 throughout the total travel of the main treadle l2. Practically, therefore, I prefer to utilize the straight bar 5| shown in the other figures of the drawings. The bar 5| is made straight between points 1/ and z, the range of pressure movement of the lever l0, and the inclination of the bearing face 56 to bar 5| is rather narrowly confined to say between the limits of 8 and 13. From point 1 to point x, which is the range of the free movement of the press head after release from pressure, the front edge of bar 5| is relieved so that no wedging of roller 66 between surfaces 58 and 5| is possible and the parts therefore move freely to the upper release position through the action of the counterweight and spring. Where a curved bar as 5| is employed it need not necessarily be pivoted.

A stop lug, as 55 is formed on block. 55 and limits the downwardly swinging movement of the inner end of treadle 59 when the parts are in release position.

In operation, upon depression of the main treadle |2 roller 66 will move downwardly along the face of the bar 5|, during which movement it is inoperative to act as a wedge between said bar and the plate 58;--this in view of the fact that it may move upwardly inasmuch as it is carried by the pivoted supplemental treadle 59.

In moving from the full release position shown in Fig. 2 to the dotted line position in said figure, the lower end of the bar 5| will swing forwardly. When, however, pressure upon the treadle I2 is relieved any tendency of the lever ID to move upwardly will be arrested by the wedging action 60 of the roller 66 between the pivoted or pendulous bar and the bearing plate 58. The backing roller 54 prevents retrograde movement of the bar 5|, and spring 61 urges the roller 66 downwardly through tipping of treadle 59. The roller 66 is thus urged downwardly between the bearing plate 56 and the bar 5| and any tendency of the lever Hi to move upwardly is therefore resisted. By this arrangement a very fine adjustment of the iron or pressing head toward the fixed element 2 may be had and maintained. The roller 54, which is located on a common center line of roller 66 and the fulcrum ll of the lever I0, serves to keep all Stresses incident to the wedging action within 75 The 5 the lever proper thus throwing no strain on the frame of the machine.

The vacuum valve, heretofore referred to, is directly associated with the release treadle 59 by reason of the fact that the lever 9 is secured to the pin or shaft 69 to which said treadle is likewise secured. Normally, the spring 61 holds the parts in such position that the vacuum valve will not be open. When, however, it is desired to open such valve the operator merely depresses the release treadle 59 thereby rocking the L-shaped lever 9 into contact with the roller I and, through the connections before described, lifts the valve 4 from its seat. The valve may be held in an open position so long as the member 59 is held depressed. In other words, the vacuum is under the direct control of the operator through the combined release and. vacuum treadle 59, which, as noted, is directly associated with the main actuating treadle I2.

As above stated, the locking mechanism may also be appplied to presses of the jaw type and reference will now be had to Figs. '7, to 10 inclusive.

In Figs. '7 and 8, I denotes the frame of the machine, there being present the usual buck 98 and head 69. Said head is attached to the forward end of a lever I9 fulcrumed at I9 to an upward extension of the frame I.

Lever I9 is swung to carry the head from open to closed position and vice versa through'a rear toggle actuated by a second toggle, the latter being moved through a foot lever I4 and a link connection presently to be described.

The rear toggle comprises links I5 and I9 pivotally connected at 11. The upper end of link 15 is pivotally connected at I8 to the rear portion of the lever I9, while the lower end of link I6 is pivotally mounted on the fixed fulcrum shaft 19 which is also common to the foot lever 14.

Pivotally connected at 89 to the link It is a third link 8| which in turni's pivotally connected at 82 to the rear arm of a lever 83 fulcrumed upon a shaft 84 secured in the frame of the machine. The rear portion of the member 83 and the link 8! form a secondary toggle designed to actuate the rear toggle 15, I6, and to thus open and close the head.

Pivotally connected, at 85, to the forward end of the lever 83 is a link which is denoted generally by 86 (see more particularly Figs. 8 and 9), the lower end of which is pivotally connected at 81 to the foot lever 14.

A tension spring 88 is connected to the shaft 84 and its upper end is attached, as at 89', to the upper portion of the link15 ofthe rear toggle. This spring acts to collapse the toggles and, acting in conjunction with the counterweight 99, a

portion of which is shown in Fig. 7 at the rear of the lever I9, the press will readily open when the toggle mechanism is released from its locked or latched position.

The opening movement of the press is assisted by a compression spring III which is seated in a socket formed in the outer end of a casting or bracket 92 mounted upon a shaft 93, which latter is the shaft usually employed in connection with various operating levers, such as the vacuum lever, etc.

The inner portion of the member 92 is provided with a set screw or bolt 94 whereby said member 92 may be adjusted to suit inequalities in contacting parts due'to manufacture.

As will be seen upon reference to Figs. 9 and 10, the link, denoted generally by 86, is formed with two side walls connected at the rear and adja- I92 of a roller I93. Said roller stands in line with and rests against the bearing plate 96 and against the inner straight face of a pendulous bar I94 fulcrumed at I95 to a fixed portion of the machine frame l The lower part of the bar also contacts a roller I96, as best seen in Figs. 7 and 10, when the head is depressed and the locking mechanism is in locking position. It is designed to have the locking mechanism come into operation only during that period of the movement of the head when pressure is to be applied to the goods. This is true of the structure heretofore described and is true of the present form also.

The locking of the head is designed to begin when the head is approximately three-quarters of an inch above the padded face of the buck. The locking mechanism comes into operation when the roller I96 passes the point 2 on the bar I94. Above the point a on the bar I94 it is cut away or relieved so as to permit the bar to swing toward the fulcrum pin or shaft 99 so that no wedging action between the bar, the roller I93, and the bearing plate will obtain when the roller I98 passes into the relieved-portion as the link 86 moves upwardly.

As in the other structure, roller I93 is mounted in a swinging carrier and is design ed to be rocked so as to carry the parts out of locking engagemeni; through an auxiliary pedal lever I91 fulcrumed upon the main operating lever 14, at I98. The rear portion of this lever I91 is connected to a. link I99 which extends upwardly to a rocker arm II 9secured to the fulcrum shaft or pin 99.

A compression spring II E is interposed between the member I91 and the forward treadle portion of the lever I4, said spring acting, through the connections above described, to move the free end of the U-shaped rocker or carrier member I99 downwardly and thus bring the roller I93 into operative locking position with the angularly disposed member 96 and the adjacent edge of the bar I94. An adjustable stop screw H2 is provided in connec ion with the pedal lever I91 to limit it movement in opposition to the spring III.

It is, of course, desirable to have the press head movable to its open position with the minimum of effort. In other words, to ha e the head 69 nicely balanced. With a locking mechanism such as is here described it has been found that the weight of the foot on the main treadle lever when releasing the look by means of the auxiliary treadle lever I9! is sufficient to prevent the main foot treadle lever I4 from rising rapidly and therefore interfering somewhat with the free opening of the head.

It is to be noted tacts the compression spring tion of the downward travel of that the resistance offered by this spring to foot pressure is negligible inasmuch as it occurs at a point when the maximum pressure of the foot is being exerted upon the lever. The energy stored up in the spring by the compression therethat the lever I4 only con- GI in the last porsuch lever so of is sufflcient, as above noted, to exert enough push against the main lever 14 so that when the release pedal is operated the main pedal will follow up with the weight of the foot resting thereon.

It will be noted, upon an examination of Fig. 7, that neither of the toggles come to a straightened position. That is to say the rear toggle pivot 1! stands short of the straight position as indicated by the dotted line, which passes through the points 18 and 19, and the horizontal toggle 8|, 83 has its pivot stop short of a'straight line, passing through the pivotal points 89 and 84. Thus when the locking mechanism is released the lever 14, acting under the impetus of the spring 9| and the spring 88 together with the counterweight, will move upwardly bringing the toggles to the dotted line position with the head fully elevated.

With both types of presses herein shown a fine adjustment of the pressure of the head or iron upon the work may be obtained and retained. There is no ratchet mechanism or in fact any mechanism which needs manual adjustment to effect the locking of the parts in position. The slightest depression of the operating lever will be maintained automatically through the locking mechanism as above described, throughout the locking range of said mechanism.

It is manifest that a ball or even a spring pressed block may be utilized instead of a roller as the locking element coacting with the converging members and 58, and 96 and I04, respectively. For various reasons, however, the roller as shown is preferred.

What is claimed is:

1. In a pressing machine, the combination of a pair of pressing members one movable relative to the other; means for moving one of said members into pressing relation with the other, said means including an actuating lever, toggle means connected to said movable member, and a link interconnecting a member of the toggle means and the lever; a lock for said means comprising a pendulous bar attached to a fixed portion of the machine, a bearing surface on said link, said bearing surface and bar standing in converging relation in the direction of movement of the lever toward press closing position; a looking member interposed between said bar and the bearing surface; a pivoted support for said looking member; means for rocking the support to carry said locking, member inwardlybetween the bearing surface and the opposing face of the pendulous bar in the direction of their convergence; and means for holding the bar against swinging movement away from the locking member and maintaining it in close contact with the locking member.

2. In a garment press, the combination of a frame; a buck thereon; a head; a lever to which the head is attached; a toggle interposed between the rear portion of the lever and a fixed portion of the frame; a second toggle, the rear link whereof is pivotally connected to the first named toggle and the forward link forms the rear portion of a lever fulcrumed in the frame; an operating lever fulcrumed at its rear end to the frame; a link pivotally connected to the operating lever and the forward end of the lever which is included in the second toggle; a pendulous bar; an inclined bearing surface on the link opposite the bar, said surface and bar standing in downwardly converging relation; means for maintaining the bar in such relation; a locking member interposed between the bar and said surface; means urging said member downwardly; and means under the control of the operator for moving said member upwardly.

3. A structure as set forth in claim 2, wherein 5 the means under the control of the operator for moving the locking member comprises a pivoted carrier in which the member is mounted; an auxiliary lever associated with the main operating lever; and a link connecting said carrier and 10 the auxiliary lever.

4. A structure as set forth in claim 2, wherein ,each of the toggles stops short of fully straightened position when the press head is fully lowered.

5. A press as set forth in claim 2, wherein a compression spring is placed beneath the operatinglever adjacent its forward end, said spring acting when the lever is released from its lock to impart an upward movement thereto.

6. In a garment press, the combination of a buck; a head movable toward and from the same; means for moving said head, including a lever and a treadle; a lock for holding the lever in its pressing position; an auxiliary treadle for releasing said lock, said treadle being pivoted on the main treadle; a vacuum valve for said buck; and means operable by the auxiliary treadle for opening the vacuum valve.

7. In a garment press, the combination of a buck; a head; a press closing lever fulcrumed upon the frame of the press; a lock for the lever;

a treadle pivoted on said lever for releasing said lock; an arm likewise pivoted upon the lever and interconnected with the treadle for movement therewith upon rocking of the treadle; a vacuum valve; and means interposed betweenthe vacuum valve and said arm whereby the vacuum valve may be opened upon rocking of the treadle.

8. In a garment press, the combination of a buck; a head; means for moving said head into pressing relation with the buck; a lock for holding the press in closed position; a releasing treadle pivoted upon and movable with an element of the means for moving the head into pressing relation; a vacuum valve; and actuating means for the valve interposed between said valve and the releasing treadle, said means being normany-inoperative and designed to be moved to operative position upon depression of the treadle.

9. In a pressing machine, the combination of a pair of pressing members, one movable relative to the other; means for moving one of said members into pressing relation with the other, said means including an actuating lever and interconnections between said lever and the movable pressing element; a lock for said means comprising a pendulous bar attached to a fixed portion of the machine; a bearing surface carried by said press closing means, said surface and the pendulous bar standing in converging relation in the direction of movement of the actuating lev'er aforesaid toward press closing position; a looking member interposed between said bar and the bearing surface; a pivoted support for said looking member, said support being carried by and movable with an element of the press closing means; means for rocking the support to carry said locking member inwardly between the bearing surface and the opposing face of the pendulous bar in the direction of their convergence; and means for holding the bar against swinging movement away from the locking member and maintaining it in close contact with said locking member.

WILLIAM S'I'ROBRIDGE. 

